1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the dissemination of information, and more particularly to a system and method for responding to information requests from users of personal communication devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
The modern cell phone is used for much more than voice communications. Millions of people around the world use cell phones as a means to talk with one another and to provide access to various sources of information. With a cellular telephone, users are able to use an incredible array of features and functions such as storing contact information, making to-do task lists, sending or receiving text, voice messages, graphical images, photographic images, recorded sounds, and even streaming media. Some cellular phones are also capable of receiving email messages forwarded from an email service, such that a user may check his or her email via the mobile phone.
Telecommunication concerns foresee a future wherein cellular services include handheld entertainment and data services as well as basic communications. Each facet has multiple business models; at least theoretically. Marketing professionals and advertisers see the mobile phone as the ultimate delivery vehicle for targeted advertising.
Despite its great potential, the wireless industry has been cautious about how to exploit the cellular phone. The highly personal and ever-present nature of the cell phone increases the potential to alienate customers with invasion of privacy concerns and unsolicited content. Although a wireless service provider may not be responsible for undesirable acts by marketers and third party product vendors, they are likely to take the brunt of the blame by their customers for any intrusions. Accordingly, carriers have placed prudent constraints on those who would undermine the carrier's relationships with their customers, intentionally or otherwise. In light of this sensitivity, the market has responded with ideas that do not violate the boundaries set by the carriers.
The wireless community, with its focus on minutes of use and data services, has made a substantial investment in network and handset developments that emphasize user-generated content, gaming, and customizations such as ring tones and video entertainment. SMS text messaging and MMS features for image and video capture now compliment traditional voice communications features on most new phones. Network support for cell phone internet services continues to evolve rapidly.
Marketing and advertising concepts are substantially less advanced when it comes to the mobile phone. For all of its obvious potential for intimate connection with the consumer, the potential to create a customer-adversary has never been greater. To mitigate the likelihood of adverse consumer reaction, mobile phone marketing methods are, by and large, opt-in schemes. The consumer must sign up to receive ads and, in most cases, they must be willing to download software onto their phone.
Voice and SMS services are the only proven mobile phone revenue models to date. A need, therefore, exists for a cell phone business paradigm that takes advantage of advanced handset features and the inherent personal relationship with the consumer, while avoiding the pitfalls of intrusion.
Most cell phones sold in the U.S. this year, over 100 million of them, will be photo and video capable. However, the majority of owners will use voice and SMS text capability exclusively. Despite consumers' desire to use advanced features, such as posting and printing pictures, watching mobile TV, and utilizing email and Internet services, most consumers do not know how to use anything other than the voice feature and, in rapidly increasing numbers, the text messaging features of their phones. Of those who use the camera feature already on their phones, the vast majority do not send the pictures from their phone to another phone or posting site. Cell phone pictures are typically shared face to face on the phone just as if they were on photo paper. This seems to be true even when the cost of sending is eliminated as a factor.
Likewise, an exceedingly small percentage of users will use the low resolution video feature to view video segments or make their own short videos and almost none will send them from the phone.
A similarly small number will pay to watch video clips or television on their phones. With the ubiquity of large-screen, flat panel TV's in every niche of our society, paying a sizable cost for clips to watch on a cell phone with limited battery life and poor visual quality is unlikely to become a national or global obsession within the bounds of current technology. Yet, without a significant market willing to buy TV and Internet data services for their cell phones, direct mobile marketing opportunities are limited. It is doubtful that a large number of consumers will choose to opt-in to advertising services just for the sake of receiving ads. If they did, it would run counter to the experiences of every other medium. Furthermore, “mobile life” experiments around the world have shown that there is presently no substantial demand to shop from one's cell phone or use the phone as a mobile equivalent to a laptop computer or television set.
There has, however, been behavioral evidence that certain types of information are readily consumed by the mobile user when the barriers to obtaining the information are low. Maps, weather, headlines and sports scores are among such items. But, after more than a decade of sponsor-supported free Internet computer content with no technical barriers to use, large numbers of consumers are unwilling to tackle the cost and technical obstacles associated with getting this type of information on their cell phones. Monthly subscriptions with multiple widget providers, wireless access protocol (WAP) sites with clumsy and difficult navigation, software downloads, slow transmission speeds, non-standard operating systems, and techno-phobia creates a challenging mobile environment.
The present invention overcomes the aforementioned financial, procedural and technical obstacles to allow mobile users to receive information in a manner that is attractive and readily accessible to the mobile user, advertisers and the wireless carrier communities.